Original German WWII ID dogtag - 1/Jnf.Ers.Batl.1 Nr.5222 (Siege of Leningrad)

Description

Jnf.Ers.Batl.1
stands for
Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 1
(
1st Reserve Infantry Battalion
).
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/InfErsBat/InfErsBat1-R.htm
This unit was set up on August 27, 1939 in Königsberg (Wehrkreis I). The battalion provided reinforcements for the
1st Infantry Regiment
of the
1st Infantry Division
.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanterieregimenter/IR1-R.htm
1st Infantry Division
was formed in 1934 during the first wave of rearment. It actively participated in the
Invasion of Poland
and played a minor role in the
Invasion of France
.
During the
Operation Barbarossa
, this division acted as part of
Army Group North
and marched on
Leningrad
, participating in the siege of the city. It fought in that area through 1943 and later was relocated to
Krivoy Rog
, got encircled but managed to break out.
In 1944 the 1st Infantry Division returned to its native territory of
East Prussia
and defended Konigsberg against advancing Soviet forces.
Surviving elements of the division surrendered to the Soviets after the fall of Konigsberg on April 9, 1945.